Tractor-mounted harvester



B. M. HYMAN TRACTOR-MOUNTED HARVESTR4 March 240, 1945.

Filed Nov. 14/194; s sheets-en 2 Patented Mar. .20, 1.945

Beniamin M. Hyman,

temational Harvester Company,

of New Jersey Moline, lll., assigner to lnl a corporation Application November 14, 194e, semi No. 465,562

(el. .ts-1s) 13 clams.

'.lhis invention relates to a harvester. More speciilcally, tractor-mounted corn picker.

It is generally desirable picker upon a tricycle type snapping units ,are immediately adjacent the front of the body, so as to snap ears from adjacent rows. The rear wheels of the tractor are spaced from the body, and thus the husking units extend across the rear axle between the wheels and the body. The disadvantage with this arrangement is that the positioning of the husking units over the rear axle of a tractor makes it difiicult to remove the corn picker from the tractor. This difficulty is, of course, avoided if the picking units are positioned so that they extend entirely outwardly of the tractor wheels, but then the units are so widely spaced that they cannot it relatesl to a to mount a corn `pick along adjacent rows.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved harvester.

A further object is the provision of an improved tractor-mounted harvester.

Another object is to provide an tractor-mounted corn picker.

Still another object is the provision of an improved mounting of a corn picker upon a tractor, whereby removal of the picker from the tractor is facilitated.

Other objects will appear from the disclosure.

According to the present invention, acorn picker is so mounted upon a units snap corn at points immediately adjacent the body of the tractor and convey the snapped com to husking units which extend along the improved tractor to the rear thereof outside of the rear wheels of the tractor. With this arrangement, ears are gathered from adjacent rows of corn and yet there is no structure of the corn picker extending across the -rear axle of the tractor which would make -difiicult the attachment to and detachment from the tractor.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the corn picker of the present invention mounted upon a tractor;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the right half ofthe corn picker tor;

Figure 3 is a side viewl of the left half ofthe corn picker mounted upon a tractor;

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the drive for the right half of the corn picker;

Figure 5 is a schematic side IView of the drive;

Figure 6 is a side view,

tractor so that `the mounted upon the tractractor-mounted tractor that snapping .a snapping unit showing the supporting framework for the left side of the corn picker; and

Figure 'I is a sectional view 1-1 of Figure 6. The reference taken along the une character I0 designates a tractor which includes a narrow body H, a narrow front rolling support I2, a rear axle I3, and rear wheels Il. Figure 1 shows the corn picker of the present invention in its entirety. It comprises a right-hand unit i5 and a symmetrical and identical left-hand unit I6. Each unit is composed of i1, a husking .unit i8, and a transverse feeding tractor. Extending rearwardly from a point between the two transverse feeding devices I9 is a wagon elevator 20. Each snapping unit l1 comprises a pair of snapping rolls 2|, a small gather point 22 immediately adjacent the tractor body Il.` a large gather point 23 spaced from the body Il, and an ear elevator 24 extending from the inner side of the snapping rolls outwardly to'a point outside the one tractor wheel I4. The snapping unit also includes an inner gathering chain 25, positioned in the inner gather point 22, and an outer gather chain 26 positioned in the outer gather point 23. Each husking unit I3 includes husking rolls 21, a conveyer 23 positioned beneath the husking rolls, and an oscillating ear presser 29 positioned above the rolls. Each transverse conveying means leincludes a shell 30 and an auger feed 3| positioned therein so as to be supported only at its outer end and to be free and unencumbered at its inner end adjacent the wagon elevator 2li.

A pair of fabricated channel members 32 is secured to the rear axle I3 by bolts'33 and extends rearwardly therefrom to a point to the rear of the wheels M. A transverse pipe 34 is secured to the rear ends of the channel members`32 and extends across the rear of the outside the tractor wheels il. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, a pair of spaced longitudinal members 35 is secured to each end of the transverse tube 34 at points outside a rear wheel I4 and extends forwardly thereof to a pointin front of the rear'wheel i4. As seen inFigure 7,

' the longitudinal members 35 are secured, as by with parts omitted. a

welding, at their forward ends to a short tubular section 36 which extends through them. Pieces 31 are secured, as by welding, to the short tubular section 36 within the longitudinal memu bers 35 and extend upwardly from the tubular lsection 36. Flanged rings 38 are secured, as by welding, to the pieces 31 and form a bearing'y for tube 39 which may rotate within the flange device I3 to the rear of the tractor to points to the vertical projection 40-so as to provide the snapping unit I1 witha vertical pivot axis. The'y 'purposes of these axes will be described later.

The short tubular section 36 issecured to and held in alinement with -a tubular support 42 by means of bolts 43 which secure a flange 44 secured, Y vas by welding, to the tubular support 42, to the inner longitudinal member 35 and the vertical piece 31.- To the opposite end of the tubular support 42 is secured a' bracket 45 which is-in turn secured to the tractor body I by bolts 48.

v Thus, there is provided for each half of the corn picker a. supporting framework which includes the transverse pipe 34 carried on the fabricated channels 32, the longitudinal members,v 35, the short tubular sections 35, and. the transverse tubular support 42. This supporting framework extends outwardly and around a rear wheel I4 o and serves to carry the husking unit I8. This framework also serves as a support for the rear end of each picking unit I1, which is pivoted by the ring 4I on the vertical projection 4l) carried in turn on `the tube 39 pivoted in the rings 38 secured to the pieces 31, secured in turn tothe short. tubular section 36. Each picking unit is also supported by means of a bell-crank 411, of which one arm is connected to av mid-point y-of the picking unit by a link 4 8. 'I'here are p'rovided two bell-cranks 41,V one for each picking unit I1, and they are secured to the ends of a rock-shaft 49carried in brackets 50 secured to the transverse tubular supports 42. It has been stated that`one arm of each bell-crank k41 is connected bya link 48 to-the mid-point of a picking unit I1. The other arm of each-bell-crank is connected by a link I to a detent lever 52 nxable in a plurality of positions of a detent mechanism 53 secured to the rear axle I3. By adjustment of the lever 52, a raising and lowering of the snapping units I1 about horizontal axes, determined by the pivoting of the tube 39V inthe anged rings 38, is effected. Springs 54 connected to the tractor body II and the bell-cranks \41 serve to counterbalance the weight of the snapping units I1.

` The various parts of the picking and husking units are driven as indicated in Figures 4 andl 5.

A power take-oil? shaft 55 extends from the rear of the tractor body II and upon this shaftis secured a gearl 56 engagedy by a sprocket chainy 51, which also engages a sprocket 58 secured upon a shaft. 59. The shaft 59 extends into a gear box 60 and from the shaft 59 through bevel gears within the gear-box 5I)` is derived drive for 14 secured to a shaft 15. Secured tothe shaft 15 is a bevel gear16 and another bevel gear 11. 'Ihe bevel'gear 16 meshes with a bevel gear .18, which drives the husking rolls ...21. `.;The bevel gear 16 also meshes. with a bevel gear 19, which drives the snapping rolls 2| through a telescoping' shaft 8l and universallfjoints 82 and 83. The bevel gear 11 meshes with -a bevel gear 84 secured upon a shaft 85, to. which are also secured sprockets 86 and 81. The fearforwarder chain 24 meshes with the sprocket'86and this same chain also engages a Sprocket 88.;s'ecured upon a shaft `89 to which is alsosecured a sprocket 90. Asprocket chain 9| engages the' sprocket 98 and also a sprocket 92 secured upon a shaft 93, to which is also secured a bevel gear 94 meshing with a. bevel gear 95 driving the inner gatherer chain 25. The sprocket 81 is engaged by a chain 96, which also 'engages a sprocket 91, to which is secured a bevel gear 98 engaging a bevel gear 99 driving the outer gatherer chain 25. A pulley -I is secured to one transverse shaft 5I adjacent the gear-box 60 and is engaged by a belt Y I 0I which also engages a pulley |02 driving the .wagon elevator 20.

Operation 'of the corn picker is in the usual manner. The tractor with the picker mounted thereon .is driven through a eld of corn, with adjacent rows of corn passing on opposite sides of the tractor body II and into the forward ends of the snapping rolls 2|.- vThe stalks of corn are bent somewhat outwardly as they passA upwardly through the snapping rolls. The snapped corn `is deposited in the ear elevator 24 'and elevated '88 upwardly, eventually reaching a shield |03 and falling therefrom vontothe husking rolls 21. The

ears while'being husked pass along the huskin'g Y rolls and move from the rear end thereof onto a conveyer 28 and from that are .transferred transl 4 versely across the rear of the tractor by the auger 3 I onto the wagon elevator 20. As has been previously statedjthe husking units are posi- Y tioned outside the wheels I4 so that the com is snapped from stalks which are inside the wheels I4 and is then transferred to a point outside the wheels and in front of them, and then passes along and outside the wheels to a point to the rear of them. When they corn picker is to be removed from the tractor, the links 48, which connect the bell-cranks 41 to the snapping units, are disconnected from ,the snapping units, and the snapping units are moved outwardly. so that they occupy a position as indicated by the dotted-line position of the right-hand` unit, as shown in Figure 2. It will -be observed that in this positionfthe snapping unit I1 is entirely outside the tractor wheel I4. Then, supports are placed under the ends of the transverse pipe 34 and also transverse shafts 6I, extending to opposite sides.

of the tractor. As shown in Figure 4,'the one drive shaft 6I extends to the right and carries at its outer endsprockets 82 and 83. `A chain 64 endevice is driven. The sprocket 63 is vengaged by 'a chain 81 which also engages va. sprocket 38 secured to azshaft 89, to which is also secured a. sprocket 19 engaged by a chain 1I. As seen "in Figure 5, 'the chain 1I engages a sprocket 12 which'drlves the oscillating ear presser 29. The chain 1I also engages an idler gear 13 and a gear nected from the shaft 59 andthe transverse shafts l y under' `the short 'tubular sections 36 extending' between the front ends of the' longitudinal members' 35. Then, the short tubular sections. 3B are `disconnected from the transverse supports 42 by removal of the bolts 43. The fabricated chan,

l nel members 32 are disconnected from the rear axle I3 by removalof the bolts 33. Next, the power ,take-oil' shaft 55 of the tractor is discon- 6I by removal of the sprocket chain 51. Now, the tractor may be driven forwardly andl out of the corn picker, since the picker is carried upon supports beneath its framework and' the snap-` Ding units are entirely outside the tractor wheels I4. Since no part of the corn picker4 extends across the rear axle but. instead, the parts oi' the corn picker-that is. the husking units I9- which extend from in front of the rear axle to in rear of the rear axle are positioned outside the wheels ll, no lifting and lowering of parts 4 across the rear axle is required and thus removal of the corn picker from the tractor is simplified.

correspondingly, the attaching of the corn picker to the tractor is made easy. Although the husking units I8 are positioned outside the tractor wheels, corn ears are snapped from adjacent rows inside the wheels and the snappingunits are so constructed and arranged that they snap ears from stalks inside the wheels and yet convey the com topoints outside the wheels, so that the corn is passed through husking units outside the wheels.

The intention is to limit the invention only within the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed isz 1.'In combination. a-tractor having a body, a rear axle extending from one side of thebody, and a wheel on the axle spaced from the body, crop-gathering means positioned in front of the rear axle alongside the tractor body for gathering crops from a plant row between the wheel and the body, means mounting the cropgatherl ing means on the tractor, crop-treating means positioned so as to extend along the outer side of and below the wheel for treating crops gathered by the crop-gathering means and moving them along the outer side of the wheel to the rear of the rear axle, and means mounting the crop-treating means on the tractor.

2.. In combination, a tractor having a body, a rear axle` extending from one side of the body. and a wheel on the axle spaced from the body,

snapping means positioned to operate at the side of the tractor body and in frontof the rear' axle, for gathering crops from a plant row between the wheel and the body, means mounting" the snapping means on the tractor, husking means positioned outside the tractor wheel for husking crops received from the snappingmeans and ltransferring the crops outside the wheel to the rear of the rear axle, and.means mounting the husking means on the tractor.

3. In combination, a tractor having a body, a rear axle extending therefrom, and a wheel on the rear axle, a snapping unit extending from a point in front of the rear axle and the wheel and alongside the tractor body to a point outwardly of the wheel so as to be enabled to snap corn ears from a row between the bodyand the wheel and to move thelears to a' point outwardly of the wheel, a husking unit extending longitudinally of the tractor outside the wheel from in front of the rear axle to the rear of the rear axle so as to be enabled to receive ears from the snapping unit outside the wheel and to transfer them outside the wheel to the rear of the rear axle, and means mounting the husking unit on the tractor.

4. In combination, a'tractor having a body, a rearaxle extending therefrom, and awheel on the rear axle, a snapping unit extending from a point in front of the rear axle and the wheel and alongside the tractor body to a point outwardly of the wheel so as to be enabled to pick ears from a row between the wheel and the body and to transfer them outside the wheel, means pivotally mounting the snapping unitA on the tractor ata point outside the wheel so as to enable the snapping unit to be swung outwardly of the wheel, a husking unit extending along and outside the wheel so as to be enabled to receive ears from the snapping unit and to transfer them be swung completely a..row between the wheel and the from a pointr forwardly of the wheel and along and outside the wheel to the rear of the rear axle, and means mounting the husking unit on the tractor.

5. In combination, a tractor having a body, a rear axle extending therefrom, and a wheel on the axle, a crop-gathering unit extending from a point in front of the rearaxle and the wheel and alongside thebody to a point outward of the wheel so as to be enabledto gather crops from body and to transferv themoutside the wheel, means pivotally mounting the crop-gathering unit on the tractor at a point outside-the wheel so as to enable 'the crop-gathering unit to be swung outwardly of the wheel, means for transferring crops from thc crop-gathering unit outside' of and along the wheel to therear 'of the rear axle, and means mounting the transferring means on the tractor.

6. In combination, a tractorhaving a body. a rear axle extending therefrom, .and a wheel on the rear. axle, a first transverse supporting membersecured to the tractor and extending in front of and in spaced parallel relation tothe rear axle verse member secured to the tractor and extending behind the rear axle and in spaced parallel relation thereto -to a point outward of the wheel. a husking unit extending along and outside thc wheel from in front of the rear axle to the r'ear thereof, means mounting transverse members, a snapping unit extending alongside the body to a point outward of the wheel. and means mounting the snapping unit on the first transverse memberi at points outward of the ,wheel and between the wheel andthe body.

'7. In combinationl a tractor having a body. a rear axle extending therefrom, and awheel on the rear axle. a iirsttransverse supporting member secured to the tractor and extending in front. of and in spaced parallel relation to the rear axle to a point outward of the wheel, a second transverse member secured to the tractor and extending vbehind the rear axle and in spacedA parallel relation thereto to a point outward of the wheel, a huskingunit extending along and outside the wheel from in front of the r'ear axle to the rear thereof, means mounting the husking unit on the transverse members, a snapping unit extending from a point forwardly of the wheel and alongside the body to a point outward of the wheel, and means mounting the snapping unit on the first transverse member for pivotal movement o n a vertical axis outward of the wheel so as to enable the snapping unit to outwardly of the wheel;

8. Inlcombination, a tractor having a body, a rear axle extending therefrom, and a wheel on the rear axle, a first transverse supporting member secured to the tractor and extending in' front of and in spaced parallel relation to the rear 'axle to a point outward of the wheel, a second transverse member secured to the tractor and extending behind the rear axle and in spaced parallel relation thereto to apoint outwardof the wheel` a husking unit extending along and outside the wheel from in front of the rear axle to the rear thereof, means mounting the husking unit on the transverse members, a snapping unit extending fromv a` point ahead of the wheel and along. side the body to a point the husking unit on the l ping unit betweenthe wheel and the body on a point of the first transverse member between the wheel and the body for lifting the snapping unit by pivoting about a horizontal axis at the point of mounting on the rst transverse member outward of` the Wheel.

9. In combination, a tractor havinga body, a rear axle extending therefrom, and a wheel onthe rear axle, a first transverse supporting member secured to the tractor and extending in front of and in spaced parallel relation to the' rear axle to a point outward of the wheel, a secn ond transverse member secured to the tractor'and t extending behind the rear axle and in spaced parallel relation thereto to a point outward of the wheel, a' husking unit extending along and outside the wheel yirom in front of the rear axle to the rear thereof, means mounting the husking unit on the transverse members, a snapping unit extending from a point ahead of the wheel and alongside the body to a point outward of the wheel, and means mounting the snapping unit on the first transverse member at a point outward of the wheel for pivotal movement about a vertical axis so as to enable the portion of the snapping unit between the wheel and the body to be .swung outwardly 'of the wheel and for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis so as to enable the said portion vof the vsnapping unit to be lifted.

10. In combination; a tractor having a body, a rear axle extending -from each side of the body, and a wheel on each axle spaced from the body, a crop-gathering means positioned at cachfside of the body for gathering `crops from adjacent rows alongside the tractor body and between the 4wheels and the body, means mounting the cropy gathering means on the tractor,l crop-treating means positioned so as to extend along the outer sides of the wheels for treating crops gathered by the crop-gathering means and moving them along' the outer sides of and below the wheels to the rear of the rear axle, and means mounting the v crop-treating means on the tractor.

l1. In combination, a tractor having a body, a rear axle extending from each side of the body, and a wheel on each axle spaced from the body,

, snapping meanspositioned at each side of the body to operate at the side of the tractor body on adjacent rows between the wheels and the body, means mounting the snapping means on the tractor, husking means positioned outside and below the tractor wheels forlhusking' crops received from the snapping means and transferring the crops outside the wheels to the rear of the rear axle, and means mountingthe husk ing means on the tractor.

12. In combination, a tractor having a body, a rear axle extending at each side therefrom, and a wheel on each rear axle, a snapping unit at each side of the body extending from a point v in front ofthe rear axle and adjacent the tractor body to a point outwardly of the wheel so as to lsnap corn ears from adjacent rows between the body and the wheels and to' move the ears to points outwardly of the wheels, a husking unit extending longitudinally of the tractor outside and below each wheel from in front of the rear axle to the rear of the rear axle so as to be enabled to receive ears from the snapping units o'utside the wheels and to transfer them outside the wheels to the rear of the rear axle, and means mounting the husking'units on the tractor.

13. Incombination, a tractor having a body, a rear axle extending therefrom at each side if: thereof, and a wheel on each rear axle, a first transverse supporting member secured to the tractor and extending in front of and in spaced parallel relation to the rear axle to points outward of the wheels, a second transverse member secured to the tractor and extending behind the rear axle and in spaced parallel relation thereto to a point outward of the wlieels, a husking unit extending along and outside each wheel from in front of the rear axle to the rear thereof, means mounting the husking units on the transverse members, snapping units extending from points adjacent the body to points outward of .the wheels, and means mounting the snapping units on the iirst transverse member at points outward and inward of the wheels.

BENJAMIN M. 

